...so does that leave time for an iOS 5 event in April or will Apple have them share the spotlight next week?

If iPad 2 doesn't have a lot of new features and iOS 4.3 doesn't have any big surprises left maybe sharing the stage is a good thing. Otherwise it seems like Apple prefers to let their big product announcements get the individual attention they deserve.

We know you want everything and want it now but what do you think Apple will do? iPad 2 now and iOS 5 next month or everything on Wednesday?

Reader comments

TiPb Asks: Will the iPad 2 event also be the iOS 5 preview event?

Interesting theory, doubtful but interesting all the same.
My guess is no mention of ios5 next week. Doesn't matter, I waited on iPad for ipad2 so I am excited to add it to my ip4 and mbp Apple family.

I think they "may" talk about iOS5. Look at last year, they had 3 events. iPad event, iOS4 event (before Gizmodo got their mitts on an iPhone 4 prototype), and an iPhone 4 event.
This difference this year is that they do not need to do a big announcement of the new iPad, but rather a smaller event around the next iPad. They could easily fit the iPad 2 and iOS5 in the same event.
Will they do it? Maybe, maybe not. We shall see

I really can't see them introducing a new product that also uses the same software as an iPhone without showing new features. I think right now they should be past surprises. The whole world knows where it lacks the most: NOTIFICATIONS. I'm not really hyped about it. Just new software updates really.

Normally I would say no because there has been no real coverage of the 4.3....BUT do not forget that the theme of this event is "Come see what 2011 will be the year of." To me this means that there needs to be an over-arching vision being presented for all of the 2011 devices so the iOS 5 really fits this description.
Also, Apple will see more competition this year for both tablets and smartphones so they would be smart to get ahead of the marketing and let people know what their OS is going to be capable of this year so you better not get suckered in and buy another product.

I would love to see them launch iOS 5 to developers in anticipation of having apps ready for the iPhone 5 launch in the summer. But, I would not be surprised to see it come just a bit later. Here's hoping for a completely overhauled notification system in iOS 5!
I am also wondering if XCode 4 will drop with iOS 4.3 seeing that is has been in GM since 03-Feb. It would be nice to have the official (yes, I know GM tends to be official) release of XCode 4 with the iOS 4.3 SDK.

We are still waiting for the final release of 4.3. I think the focus will be on 4.3 wrapped around the iPad 2. Looking forward to what will be in the next version of iPad. I have the first gen and an extremely pleased with it. Memory, Storage, Speed and Camera(s) would be more than enough to convince me to buy it.

you people are crazy if you think that ios5 will get a sneak peak... Apple actually has competition in the tablet space now, and need to make sure people hold off on any other tablet with a sneak peak of ios5. Honeycomb was impressive, and that tablet is launching this week. They will put their hooks in all the people holding out to see iPad2 by delivering great hardware, and a peak of the the software that will come along with it.

The iOS 4 Preview was on April 8th last year, so it's a toss up. On one side the iPad event next week would be a month early based on last years date, but on the other side is Apple going to hold yet another event just 1 month later?
It certainly would be nice to see iOS 5 and it could work in Apple's favor by enticing people sitting on the fence to go for the iPad 2 on the premise that there are some much needed improvements coming soon with iOS 5 (I'm looking at you notifications!)

It would make sense for Apple to preview iOS5 next week. They need to get the dev's onboard early to ensure when launched, apps are ready.
Also if they are going to do anything with the notification system, which has been rumoured, it will nodoubt need some app development.

Why would a better notification system need any additional app development? See LockInfo for how it can be perfectly done without any additional work. In my opinion, it would be a pretty big mistake on Apple's side to create another function that can only be used after the developers update their apps.
Just like the (badly done and useless) in-app text-messaging that hasn't really taken off, it would be completely useless for many users if they can't count on something like that to work with every single app.

No. I would be surprised if March 2 was anything other than the iPad. iPad 2 is a big deal, and so is iOS 5. Apple would want each announcement to have its own event. For one thing, with it only being March 2, there's still plenty of time for them to preview iOS 5 before it's presumably release in late June or July. They're probably still finishing up the developer beta. For another thing, the iOS announcements are usually aimed at developers, and that's a slightly different audience than for hardware announcements, which are typically aimed at consumer electronic journalists and consumers. Yes, there's a lot of overlap in those two groups, but Apple has been very deliberate in addressing specific audiences in their announcements, and I don't see any reason for that to change now.
So no iOS 5 on March 2. That'll likely be sometime in April.

They may do it at the same time. Unless the new iPhone isn't going to cone out until August - September and they announce it in May. It seems like apple usually announce their iOS stuff three months before they release it.

So should I be upset with Subaru for releasing a 2011 model vehicle immediately after I bought a 2010? No. You get the product that you pay for.
We also just learned today that Apple is honoring the return and exchange for MacBook Pro's that are still sealed in the box that have been purchased in the last 14 days.
Everybody considering the purchase of a computer should do some research into the model they want. If anybody in the last two weeks did research on MBP's, they would've seen the many blogs and news articles saying the product refresh would happen very soon. That's their choice to buy when they buy.
Besides, it's not like people bought a defective product.